CBSE Notes Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 - Understanding Media

Media is a word that is often used to refer to the radio, TV, newspapers, Internet and several other forms of communication. CBSE Notes Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 – Understanding Media will help you to explore more about the media. You will understand why it is necessary for the media to be independent in a democratic country. Also, you will know the way the media affects our daily lives.

CBSE Notes Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 – Understanding Media

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Media is the plural form of the word ‘medium’, and it describes the various ways through which we communicate in society. Everything ranging from the stall at the local fair to the programme that you see on TV can be called media. It refers to all means of communication.

TV, radio and newspapers are a form of media that reaches millions of people, or the masses, across the country and the world and thus called mass media.

Media and Technology

The naming of mass media is related to the different technologies that media use. Changing technology and making it more modern helps the media to reach more people. It also improves the quality of sound and images. Apart from this, it has changed the ways in which we think about our lives.

Television has enabled us to think of ourselves as members of a larger global world. It has brought the world closer to us. Now by sitting in Chennai or Jammu, we can see images of a storm that has hit the coast of Florida in the United States.

Media and Money

The different technologies that mass media use are expensive. TV studio has lights, cameras, sound recorders, transmission satellites etc ., which cost a lot of money. As the technologies keep changing, a lot of money is spent on getting the latest technology. Due to this, the mass media needs a great deal of money to do its work.

Most television channels and newspapers are part of big business houses. Nowadays, mass media is constantly thinking of ways to make money. One way of making money is by advertising different ads like cars, chocolates, clothes, mobile phones, etc.

Media and Democracy

The media plays a very important role in providing news and discussing events taking place in the country and the world. Thus, it is an essential part of a democratic country. Media helps citizens in analysing the work that the government does. Based on it, citizens can take action. They can do this by writing letters to the concerned minister, organising a public protest, starting a signature campaign, asking the government to rethink its programme, etc.

Balance Report

A balanced report is one that discusses all points of view of a particular story and then leaves it to the readers to make up their minds. Writing a balanced report depends on the independence of the media.

Independent Media

Independent media means that no one should control and influence its coverage of news. No one should tell the media what can be included and what should not be included in a news story.

In reality, the media is far from independent because of two reasons:

1. Government has a good hold over the media. It can prevent a news item, scenes from a movie, or the lyrics of a song from being shared with the larger public. This is referred to as censorship.
2. The media often focuses on a particular aspect of a story because they believe this makes the story interesting and increases public support for an issue.

Setting agendas

Media plays an important role in deciding what stories to focus on. Therefore, it decides what is newsworthy. By focusing on particular issues, the media influences our thoughts, feelings and actions and brings those issues to our attention. Due to its significant influence in our lives, it is said that the media ‘sets the agenda’.

There are several instances when the media fails to focus on issues that are significant in our lives. Nowadays, the media’s close relationship with business has made it difficult to provide a balanced report. The ‘factual information’ that a news report provides is often not complete and can be one-sided. So, it’s the need of the hour to analyse the news and then react to it.

We hope CBSE Notes for Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 helps you prepare better for your exams. Keep learning and stay tuned for more updates on CBSE and NCERT.